A man and woman in Brevard County are accused of animal abuse and in jail. Officials said they left two dogs to die.

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The severely malnourished dogs were discovered by deputies at an abandoned home near Palm Bay.

It took two weeks to find the suspects.

The dogs are now able to run around and play in the sunshine. They are still thin, and not without problems, but their newfound playfulness is a welcome sight for Brevard County Animal Care workers and sheriff’s deputies who found them emaciated from severe starvation and dehydration. They needed emergency care.

Officials said they have regained about 20 to 25 percent of their body fat.

It is astounding progress, considering the two were near death two weeks ago. They had been abandoned at a home in Grant-Valkaria. Since then, investigators worked to find who left them to die.

The investigation led investigators to the arrests of Daniel Puranda and Catherine Oyuela. The pair faced a judge on animal cruelty charges.

Bond was set at $21,000 for Puranda and $16,000 for Oyuela.

Investigators said talking with witnesses helped lead them to the accused.

The pair could leave jail on bond at any time Thursday night. They’ll have to face their charges again in court next month.

The dogs still need treatment for several medical issues, but they are well enough now for pet foster care.

WEBVTT
MALNOURISHED DOGS WERE
FOUND.
IT TOOK NEARLY TWO WEEKS TO
TRACK THE SUSPECTS DOWN.
MATT: RUNNING AROUND, PLAYING
LIKE MOST DOGS DO.
>> I LET THEM RUN AROUND.
MATT THE POPS ARE STILL -- PUPS
ARE STILL THIN, BUT THE
PLAYFULNESS IS A WELCOME SIGHT
FOR BROWARD COUNTY SHERIFF'S
DEPUTIES WHO FOUND THEM IN
INITIATE IT FROM STARVATION --
EMACIATED FROM STARVATION AND
DEHYDRATION.
THEY NEEDED EMERGENCY CARE.
>> THEY HAVE GAINED 20% OF THE
BODY WEIGHT BACK, WHICH IS
ASTOUNDING.
MATT: ASTOUNDING BECAUSE THEY
WERE NEAR DEATH TWO WEEKS AGO.
THEY WERE ABANDON AT A HOME IN
GRANT-VALKARIA, AND SINCE THEN,
INVESTIGATORS WORKED TO FIND WHO
LEFT THEM TO DIE.
THEIR INVESTIGATION LED TO THE
ARRESTS OF DANIEL PURANDA AND
CATHERINE OYUELA.
THE PAIR FACED A JUDGE ON ANIMAL
CRUELTY CHARGES.
BOND WAS SET AT FOR PURANDA AND
$21,000 $16,000 FOR OYUELA.
TALKING WITH WITNESSES HELPED
LEAD THEM TO THE ACCUSED.
>> THEY WILL BE NO CONTACT WITH
YOUR CODEFENDANT AND NO CONTACT
WITH THE WITNESSES.
MATT: THE ACCUSED PAIR COULD BE
LEAVING JAIL MOMENTARILY.
THEY WILL FACE A JUDGE ON THESE
CHARGES AGAIN NEXT MONTH.
THE DOGS WILL NEED ADDITIONAL
MEDICAL CARE, BUT THEY ARE WELL
ENOUGH NOW TO BE PLACED IN PET
FOSTER CARE.